Padfoot's Favorite Sound
by MarauderishMischiefMaker
Summary: Remus uses an old Marauder trick to cheer Harry up after Sirius's death, because laughter was always Padfoot's favorite sound.


Remus Lupin wrapped his fist on the closed front door of the Burrow.

"Declare yourself," came a voice from inside. It was either Fred or George, but Remus couldn't tell which.

"It is I, Remus John Lupin. I am sometimes known by the alias Moony due to my lycanthropy. I'm one of the four creators of the Marauder's Map, and…" He wracked his brain for something that the traitor Wormtail wouldn't know. "And I have captured the fancy of one Nymphadora Tonks."

"That you have," the speaking twin agreed cheerfully, as he allowed Remus into the Burrow's cozy kitchen.

"Butterbeer, Remus?" asked the other twin, from where he had been conversing with his younger brother.

"Please."

"I'll take another, Fred," Ron added.

For a while Remus sipped his drink, thinking about how best to approach the subject for which he had came. "Have any of you seen Harry? I wanted to see how he's been…been coping lately. "

"Not well," Ron sighed in answer. "Mum takes his meals to him in our room. He doesn't come down, and he doesn't want to see us."

"Maybe he'll see me."

"I wouldn't count on it, mate," said Fred sadly.

"Actually, I think I have an idea on how to cheer him up, but I'm counting on Weasley's Wizard Wheezes having some itching powder."

"Do you?" Ron asked.

"But of course, baby brother," George grinned. "What kind of pranksters would we be otherwise?"

"Hopefully one of you is the kind who is halfway decent at potions," Remus replied, "Because I happen to be pants."

"We purposely failed our O. ," George replied, "because we didn't want to be in N.E.W.T.s with that git, but we're both pretty good. What kind of potion did you have in mind?"

"Just a little something from my Marauder days."

0o0o0o

Remus knocked on the closed door of Ron's room. (Not before tapping it with his wand, just in case it was locked. It was.)

"Leave me alone!" came the distraught voice of his best friend's son. "Just leave me alone!"

"I can't do that, Harry." Remus's voice was soft, as he entered the room. "Not when you're in such bad shape. Blow your nose, cub." He handed Harry his handkerchief…and waited.

"I miss Sirius, Moony, sometimes I miss him so bad it hurts. What the—? I…I feel f—funny."

_Bingo_. "Funny?"

"Yeah, all itchy and weird."

"I see, and where do you itch exactly?"

"My stomach, my knees…oh Merlin!" Harry finally succumbed, beginning to scratch, and therefore to giggle uncontrollably.

"And I'll bet your feet are pretty itchy, too, huh?" Remus asked, remembering from James, that that had been one of Lily's most sensitive spots.

"D—don't you d—dare," cried Harry through his laughter. "I—I'll kick y—you! I s—swear I w—will!"

"No, I don't think you will," Remus countered. "Because then I'd be forced to keep you laughing, even after the Giggle Powder wore off, and you probably want to go back to being depressed."

"G—giggle Powder," Harry repeated, with one final hiccup, as the effects did indeed start to wear off. It was after all, a rather small dose.

"Laughter-Inducing Potion, mixed with itching powder."

"So when I scratched, I was…"

"That's exactly what you doing."

"You…you…"

"Marauder," Remus supplied. "And this Marauder knows some shall we say, 'sensitive' information now, so I'd watch it." Remus laughed when the teen instantly sat on his heels, in protection of at least one target. "And anyway this was an old idea of your father's in the first place, so blame Prongs."

"How did Dad come with it?" Harry asked. He was always eager to hear about his parents

"Your Mum's parents died shortly before Christmas in our seventh year. She and James were dating at the time, and she was too polite to turn down an invitation that came directly from Mrs. Potter, but it wasn't a very happy holiday for her. Nothing James and Sirius did could make her smile, and it drove them mad, so they—well, I believe the Muggle expression goes 'they went back to the drawing board'. Is that the right one?"

Harry nodded, smiling—only slightly, but Remus caught it.

"Ah, there we go, and without any help from me."

"Guess I'm making progress."

Remus sighed. "The three of them loved you, Harry. You were their world, their whole universe. James and Sirius especially would want you to live life laughing. I'm still here, and I'm going to make sure that happens."

"If you think I'm ever going to accept your handkerchief again, you're wrong," Harry warned.

"There are other ways. Besides, what I was _thinking_ was now that _you're_ in good spirits, you might help me think of ways to cheer up Tonks."

Harry was thoughtfully quiet for a minute.

"And don't you dare say 'snog her', you little imp."

Harry snorted, that was exactly what he had been thinking, "How?"

"Because you're your parents equally cheeky son."

Okay…plan B…I've got it! Serenade Professor McGonagall at dinner tonight."

"Interesting."

"No, even better, serenade Snape!"

"You have three seconds…"

Harry did not need to be told twice. He bounded out of Ron's room, and down the stairs chuckling as he went.

Remus paused in the doorway, and turned his eyes toward Heaven. Toward Padfoot, whose favorite sound had always been laughter, particular that which belonged to his godson.


End file.
